Allen, Roethlisberger On Extensions
The Steelers have transitioned from one of the top young teams in the NFL into an older roster at the salary cap over recent years. They have to maximize every dollar they spend going forward, and two of their major extension candidates will not be immune to this behavior.
Cornerback Cortez Allen is approaching the final year of his rookie deal, and the team is determined to get him signed to an extension before the beginning of the season, writes Mark Kaboly of the Steel Mill. They recently made the mistake of not extending Keenan Lewis prior to his final contract year, and eventually lost him to a giant contract with the Saints.
“That’s not my concern right now. Football is my concern,” Allen said. “I am just trying to help the team win games. That stuff will take care of itself. I don’t focus on it too much.”
The team is $6.5MM under the cap as of right now, and could still fit Allen in that room with an extension.
While the team wants to extend Allen as soon as possible, they have taken a more patient approach with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The face of the franchise has two years left on his contract, but the team has traditionally extended him at that point during past negotiations.
Roethlisberger has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and at 32, is beginning to hit the downside of his career. Especially with the recent up and down play of his fellow quarterbacks of the 2004 NFL Draft, the team may not be as excited to commit themselves to a quarterback for the next five years. Eli Manning had a disastrous 2013 season, and Philip Rivers bounced back in 2014 after a sharp decline in the two years before that.
“As I put my faith and trust in them, when the time is right, we’ll get it done,” said Roethlisberger. “Now I can just concentrate on football.”
Still, Roethlisberger will have a chance to earn one final contract with serious star quarterback money. He needs to stay healthy and return the Steelers to the playoffs. Rivers bounced back to have one of his best seasons, and put him back at the forefront of NFL quarterbacks, as one of the best veteran passers in the game. Roethlisberger is a few years removed from his last Super Bowl appearance, but has been a top quarterback in the league for a long time, and save for a catastrophic year, will be in line for his extension next offseason.
AFC Notes: Jets, Johnson, McGrath, Broncos
As someone who rewards loyalty and “takes care of the people who take care of his franchise,” Jets owner Woody Johnson has the perfect opportunity to send the right message to one of his players, says Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, arguing that the Jets should extend Muhammad Wilkerson before they have to. For his part, Wilkerson is interested in a new deal but acknowledges that with two years left on his rookie contract, he doesn’t mind being patient.
“Do I feel that I’m underpaid right now? Yeah,” Wilkerson said. “But that’s part of the business. My time will come when I get a new contract. But right now I’m just worried about becoming a better player, a better teammate and a better leader.”
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Andre Johnson received an “understanding of where [the] Texans are going and of his own future and security” before reporting to camp. As Rapoport points out, the term “security” that perhaps Houston assured the receiver who won’t be cut next year when his cap hit increases to $16MM+.
- As Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star tweets, Chiefs tight end Sean McGrath is seriously weighing the possibility of retiring, according to head coach Andy Reid. Per Covitz (Twitter links), McGrath has yet to report to camp as of this morning, and fellow tight end Travis Kelce is working in McGrath’s place as the club’s backup long snapper.
- Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today talks to former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe to get his opinion on how the current tight end in Denver – Julius Thomas – could best cash in on a contract extension. As I observed when I examined Thomas’ extension candidacy, another big season in 2014 would likely mean an even bigger payday next year, but the tight end may prefer to work something out now.
- Historically, the Steelers have locked up plenty of key players to contract extensions right around the start of training camp, but the team doesn’t seem to have any impending deals this time around, writes Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Andrew Whitworth and Domata Peko have the Bengals‘ best and worst contracts, respectively, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com explains commissioner Roger Goodell’s logic for only handing down a two-game suspension to Ravens running back Ray Rice.
Steelers To Address Roethlisberger’s Contract After Season
Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey received a long-term contract extension earlier this offseason, but the man Pouncey snaps the ball to won’t be signing a new deal of his own anytime soon. According to Steelers president Art Rooney II, the club doesn’t intend to enter serious extension negotiations with Ben Roethlisberger until after the 2014 season (link via Bob Labriola of Steelers.com).
“I met with Ben shortly before we did the Maurkice Pouncey signing (in the middle of June) just to make sure Ben understood where we were with our intentions as far as a contract extension for him,” Rooney said. “I just didn’t want him to feel like we were moving ahead with other players without any communication.
“And so I talked to Ben, and then we talked with his agent Ryan Tollner about where we are and the fact we intend on addressing Ben’s contract situation after the season, so that we could address a number of players who were going into their last year in 2014. I think Ben understands that’s our intention and the way we’d like to proceed. I think we had a good conversation.”
Unlike several other players on Pittsburgh’s roster, Roethlisberger still has two years left on his contract, which has cap hits of $18.895MM in 2014 and $18.835MM in 2015. The Steelers have enough breathing room under the cap this season that reworking Big Ben’s deal to reduce that cap number isn’t necessary, so it makes sense that the club would wait until the 2015 offseason to get something done.
Roethlisberger will turn 33 in March, so it’ll be interesting to see what his next contract looks like, considering he doesn’t currently rank among the league’s top 10 highest-paid signal-callers. Rooney appears optimistic that a rising salary cap will give the team the flexibility to pay its franchise quarterback fair market value.
“We believe the cap will go up again next year,” Rooney said. “And so from a cap planning standpoint, next year will be a better situation for us to address a franchise quarterback type of contract.”
Minor Moves: Seahawks, Steelers, Cowboys
There were tons of housekeeping moves in the NFL yesterday and we’ll keep track of the latest here..
- Former Steelers wide receiver David Gilreath signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks, agent Sean Stellato tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports 1 (on Twitter). Gilreath was cut by the Raiders after a short stint in June. The Seahawks also signed offensive guard C.J. Davis, according to agent Neil Schwartz (on Twitter).
- The Seahawks cut tight end Chase Dixon and waived-injured offensive lineman Jared Smith, Wilson tweets. Seattle signed Smith to a reserve contract in February and added Dixon as a UDFA in May.
- The Steelers cut linebacker Kion Wilson, Wilson tweets.
- The Cowboys cut Tyronne Green with an injury settlement, Wilson tweets. The offensive guard was placed on the reserved/injured list late last month.
- The Steelers signed defensive back Lew Toler, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- The Bills waived/injured cornerback Brandon Smith, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Mike Rodak of ESPN on Twitter).
- The Bengals waived punter T.J. Conley, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter).
- The Bills claimed center Jared Wheeler off waivers from the Panthers while the Bengals grabbed wide receiver Conner Vernon after he was waived by the Browns, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Panthers signed linebacker Anthony Morales, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Morales, will fill Edmund Kugbila‘s roster spot after he was waived-injured. Morales played at Weber State and had career totals of 342 tackles, five sacks, and 38 tackles for a loss.
- The Texans signed nose tackle David Hunter, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). It’s a homecoming for Hunter, who plied his craft at the University of Houston. Hunter will provide depth on the interior of the defensive line with third-round pick Louis Nix on the PUP list.
- The Buccaneers have been awarded linebacker Brandon Magee off waivers from the Browns, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Bengals have signed rookie wide receiver Jeremy Johnson, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter). The SMU product was recently cut loose by the Patriots.
Extra Points: Giants, Davis, Bucs, Clabo
Giants linebackers coach Jim Herrmann believes the team may have stumbled on a true gem with fifth-round pick Devon Kennard, writes Howie Kussay of the New York Post. “I liked him on film, obviously our college scouting liked him on film,” Herrmann said. “He played at USC and he played under four different coordinators, and played four different positions, so I think he kind of got lost in the college shuffle a little bit there.” More from around the NFL..
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters, including Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter), that a lot of the team’s “dramatic” offseason decisions freed up money that the club can use to hammer out extensions with Tyron Smith and Dez Bryant. It’s likely that Jones is referring to the situation with Kyle Orton that ended with his release earlier this month
- According to a report from WUSA 9, former Redskins tight end Fred Davis is wanted by D.C. police for a domestic violence incident. It’s just the latest in a string of troubles for the former NFL notable who was suspended indefinitely for substance abuse and charged with a DUI over the winter.
- Bucs GM Jason Licht says he will keep five running backs on the roster if they can help win games, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Licht added that the team is excited about Bobby Rainey. There has been speculation that the 26-year-old, who was picked up off waivers in October of last year, was on the bubble heading into the season.
- After Tyson Clabo was signed by the Texans, the best available right tackles in the NFL are David Stewart, Eric Winston, Tony Pashos, Jonathan Scott, Dennis Roland, and Jeremy Trueblood, opines Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Bears GM Phil Emery was highly complimentary of new backup quarterback Jimmy Clausen, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). “That’s as good of a quarterback workout we’ve seen since I’ve been here,” the GM said of the former Notre Dame QB’s June tryout.
- The Bears put veteran tight end Travis Beckum and journeyman offensive lineman Thomas Austin through tryouts Wednesday, a source told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Beckum, 27, has been looking to find a home in the league after suffering a torn ACL in the Giants in their Super Bowl XLVI victory following the 2011 season. Austin has played eight games in the NFL with one start, spending time with the Colts last season. Unfortunately for both men, Biggs gets the sense that it’s unlikely either will get contract offers from Chicago.
- Scott Brown of ESPN.com (on Twitter) is glad to see center Fernando Velasco catch on with the Panthers after the way he stepped up for the Steelers last season in the absence of Maurkice Pouncey. The 29-year-old was graded as Pittsburgh’s fourth-best lineman by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2013.
- The deal for new Lions wide receiver Reese Wiggins is a minimum salary deal for three years with nothing guaranteed and no bonuses, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Sunday Roundup: Mauga, Peppers, AFC North
More and more beat writers are providing season previews, roster breakdowns, position battles, etc. as training opens (for one team, at least) in just a few hours. So let’s have a look at some links from around the league:
- Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer looks at 10 question the Panthers will face this summer, including what will happen with Greg Hardy and how the team’s receiving corps will shake out.
- Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune looks at five key newcomers for the Buccaneers, including (of course) Josh McCown, Mike Evans, and Alterraun Verner.
- Linebacker Josh Mauga, who played for the Jets last season, will work out for the Chiefs on Monday, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
- Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean provides training camp previews for the Titans‘ quarterback, running back, offensive line, and tight end positions.
- Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post looks at the Broncos players who are “under the microscope” this season, including Von Miller and Orlando Franklin.
- Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com continues his positional previews of the Packers with a look at the club’s receiving unit.
- Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com adds a preview of the Packers‘ linebacker corps, noting that Green Bay needs to manage Julius Peppers‘ snaps to get the most out of the aging star.
- Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that newcomers like Ryan Shazier will have to contribute on both sides of the ball for the Steelers as the club continues to infuse youth into its roster.
- Bouchette, in a separate piece, provides five storylines for Steelers‘ fans to track, including the aforementioned infusion of youth and increased use of the no huddle offense.
- Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com offers his training camp preview for the Ravens, writing that the performance of right tackle Ricky Wagner and the secondary competition will be among the most critical summer developments to watch.
- Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal still believes Brian Hoyer will open the season as the Browns‘ starting quarterback.
- Speaking of Hoyer and the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer expects Hoyer to be 100% healthy for the regular season opener against Pittsburgh, and she would be surprised if Josh Gordon were to have his indefinite ban reduced.
AFC North Links: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Steelers
When Anquan Boldin left the Ravens last offseason, it looked like former undrafted rookie Deonte Thompson could potentially step up and fill the void. However, the former Florida Gator struggled during his sophomore season. The wideout missed the first three games with a foot injury and was reportedly arrested in February (the case was dropped).
As a result, Thompson is trying to make up for lost time. With the odds stacked against him, the 25-year-old is hoping for a breakout season. Via Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com…
“It’s a big year,” Thompson said. “I’m motivated, man. I’m so motivated. You can’t take anything for granted out here. You have to give it your all.
“It’s going to be a great competition, man. No doubt. The cream always rises to the top, so the best will definitely stick out.”
Thompson also touched on his disappointing 2013 season…
“Everything was going good and I felt like the sky was going to be the limit, then bam, I get hurt.
“When I got back, just catching back up and trying to get back in, the season’s already rolling and guys are plugged in. That really set me back.”
Thompson certainly has some competition for a roster spot. Besides shoo-ins Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Marlon Brown and Jacoby Jones, he’ll also have to compete with Jeremy Butler, Michael Campanaro and LaQuan Williams.
Let’s check out some more news from the AFC North…
- If Ray Rice is suspended, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley thinks that would “increase the chances” of veteran running back Justin Forsett making the Ravens.
- Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and safety Taylor Mays are among the roster “bubble” players heading into Bengals training camp, writes ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey.
- If the Bengals decide to keep Green-Ellis, Harvey could see the team keeping James Wilder Jr. as a possible replacement. By redshirting Wilder, the team could then turn to the bruising running back when Green-Ellis’s contract expires at the end of 2014.
- Brandon Tate could be a notable cut by the Bengals, Harvey writes in his roster prediction. Adam Jones is expected to be more involved in the return game while Dane Sanzenbacher appears to be a better option at wideout. The presence of that duo could make Tate expendable.
- The Browns‘ 2013 third-round pick might not stick around for a second year. Leon McFadden could be the odd man out in the cornerback rotation, and ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon omits him from his theoretical roster.
- Depending on fourth-round pick Martavis Bryant‘s ability to contribute, Scott Brown of ESPN.com says that the Steelers could potentially hold on to six receivers. That final spot would likely go to veteran Darrius Heyward-Bey, who Brown currently has as the odd man out.
Extra Points: Brown, Cardinals, Bengals, Broncos
The NBA has seen tremendous growth in their developmental league and Ross Jones of FOX Sports argues that the NFL could benefit greatly from having one of their own. One of the questions the NFL would have to figure out, however, is exactly who would play in an NFL D-League. “You have 400 legitimate players entering the league each year, which means there are 400 legitimate players that have to leave the league each year,” agent Greg Linton said. “If a player is good, they get selected in the first through fourth rounds, so the only players that you’d be developing is seventh rounders and free agents. Is the NFL really concerned with developing that guy?” More from around the NFL..
- The lack of guaranteed contracts has had a painful ripple effect for players, writes Jack Bechta of the National Football Post. The longtime agent says that the NFLPA has to make guaranteed contracts a top priority in the next CBA since they will take pressure off players to put their bodies at extreme risk. Guaranteed deals would also give teams incentive to give their players the best medical care possible.
- Agent Drew Rosenhaus has officially re-signed Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown for representation, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Brown recently fired his reps at Roc Nation Sports.
- In the first part of a two part series, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com looks at the top questions facing the Cardinals heading into training camp. Among the questions is whether free agent pickup Jared Veldheer will be the club’s answer at left tackle. The Cardinals gave Veldheer a five-year, $35MM contract, so the front office is obviously confident. Now it’s a matter of seeing what Veldheer can do for their blindside protection.
- Bengals‘ seventh-round pick James Wright is one to watch, writes Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. It’s been nearly two years since the former LSU athlete caught a pass in a game, but the Bengals are hoping his special teams skills will translate into success as a wideout. “That day I talked to him and said, ‘Look, I know what you can do on special teams, now you’ve got to play wide receiver,‘” Bengals receivers coach James Urban said. “He’s embraced it, he’s worked his tail off and he’s given us [a lot]. I mean, he’s a very intense young man. He wants to prove this organization and [team president] Mr. [Mike] Brown right in selecting him.”
- In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Mike Klis of The Denver Post if he gets the sense that GM John Elway & Co. could still have potentially one more high-profile signing up their sleeve. Klis could see the Broncos going for a veteran running back, but then again, he thought they would have added one by now.
- After his conviction on charges of assault on a female and communicating threats, it’s unclear what Greg Hardy‘s long-term future will be with the Panthers, writes Steve Reed of the Associated Press. Hardy, who is set to hit the open market after this season, is being monitored by the NFL.
Monday Roundup: Finley, Young, Big Ben
Free agent tight end Jermichael Finley, who has been medically cleared to play by his own doctor, said he will undergo another series of medical tests on Wednesday and will send the results of those tests to all 32 clubs in an effort to convince them that he is fully healthy, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Finley has stated that he would like to return to the Packers, and that he certainly wants to continue playing rather than collect the $10MM insurance policy he would receive if he retired from the game.
However, he has also demonstrated that he will be patient as he waits for the right deal. The Steelers‘ team neurosurgeon, Dr. Joseph Maroon, performed Finley’s vertebrae fusion in November and declared him fit to play a few months later. Pittsburgh subsequently made several contract offers, according to Finley, but none of those offers were financially appealing enough for him. Pelissero believes that Finley ultimately will re-sign with Green Bay (Twitter link).
Now for some links from around the league to wind up this Monday evening:
- In an increasingly sad and troubling narrative, former Lions receiver Titus Young was arrested in Los Angeles on July 9 for battery with serious bodily injury–a felony–and associated charges, writes David Leon Moore of The Detroit Free Press. The arrest took place one day before Young was to appear for a pre-trial conference in Newport Beach, California, where he faces 11 charges, four of which are felonies.
- Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News writes that, on the heels of his strong finish to the 2013 campaign, Cowboys linebacker Kyle Wilber should find himself in a starting role and could be on the verge of a breakout season.
- In a video clip, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News looks at a few under-the-radar players on the Cowboys roster to keep an eye on, including undrafted finds Ben Malena and L’Damian Washington.
- Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes that the Seahawks‘ backup quarterback competition is wide open, and Terrelle Pryor and Tarvaris Jackson will each get an extended opportunity to prove themselves in the preseason. However, both players could end up making the club, as Seattle carried three quarterbacks on its roster for a few weeks last season.
- Time is running out for the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to reach an agreement on a contract extension, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Roethlisberger has two years left on his current deal, but Florio believes he is underpaid by current standards. However, no progress has been reported on a possible extension–though that does not mean that progress has not been made–and the Steelers do not negotiate new contracts once the regular season begins.
- Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson has limited leverage in trying to force a trade, as Adam Schefter, Louis Riddick, and Mark Brunell of ESPN explain (video link).
- Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com. Scherff, a 280-pound quarterback in high school, has blossomed into a strong 6’4″, 320-pound force with Ndamukong Suh-type strength.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
North Notes: Ravens, Brown, Bears, Packers
At least a dozen players who weren’t on last year’s 53-man roster should make the Ravens‘ regular season squad this year, writes Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. The team will likely expect major contributions from free agent addition Steve Smith, trade acquisition Jeremy Zuttah, and top draft picks C.J. Mosley and Timmy Jernigan, but there are several other new faces who could chip in, as Brown details.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:
- The significance of Antonio Brown leaving Roc Nation Sports shouldn’t be understated, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, who speculates that the Steelers wideout must have had questions about the agency’s true value to leave so soon. Roc Nation, which also represents Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, doesn’t have an extensive NFL client list, so losing a player of Brown’s nature after just two months is troubling, says Gatlin (all Twitter links).
- John Mullin of CSNChicago.com takes a look at the Bears‘ offensive line, which was one of the team’s strengths last season. Chicago was one of three clubs to start the same five linemen in all 16 games in 2013, so if the club isn’t quite so lucky with its health this year, the depth additions made this offseason could become crucial.
- Aaron Rodgers will work with his fourth center in as many years in 2014, prompting Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to explore whether likely start J.C. Tretter is capable of finally stopping the Packers‘ revolving door at the position.